RESEARCH

Lovaas (1987)
“Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children”
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

• Participants: 38 children under age 4 with autism, divided into intensive ABA (40+ hours/week) and control groups.
• Findings:
  • 47% of children in the intensive ABA group reached average IQ levels (85+).
  • Most were successfully mainstreamed into regular education.
  • Only 2% of the control group achieved similar outcomes.
• Implication: Early, intensive ABA can lead to substantial improvements in cognitive functioning and school placement.

Reichow et al. (2012)
“Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis”
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

• Type: Meta-analysis of 14 studies (including RCTs and non-RCTs).
• Participants: Over 500 children under age 6.
• Findings:
  • Children in EIBI programs gained an average of 17.5 IQ points more than controls.
  • Significant improvements were also noted in adaptive behavior and expressive language.
• Implication: The evidence strongly supports EIBI (a form of ABA) as an effective intervention for young children with autism.

Sundberg & Partington (1998)
“Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities”

• Overview: This work helped establish the verbal behavior approach to ABA, emphasizing functional language over rote repetition.
• Impact: The VB-MAPP tool derived from this approach is widely used to guide individualized language instruction in ABA settings.
• Implication: ABA can systematically teach language even to nonverbal children, using real-world contexts and motivations.

Frampton et al. (2016)
“Effects of a behavior analytic language intervention on vocal language acquisition in young children with autism”
Behavior Analysis in Practice

• Intervention: Natural Environment Teaching (NET) and verbal behavior techniques.
• Findings:
  • Spontaneous verbal speech increased by up to 300% over 6 months.
  • Imitative speech (echoics) increased significantly, which supported long-term vocal development.
• Implication: ABA can effectively jumpstart spoken language for children with limited verbal ability when personalized and embedded in play.

Matson et al. (2011)
“Assessing and treating self-help skills in persons with autism”
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Focus: Teaching daily living skills (e.g., dressing, hygiene) using task analysis and reinforcement.
• Findings:
  • Over 80% of participants acquired targeted self-help skills within 3 months.
• Implication: ABA fosters greater independence and daily functioning across a range of developmental levels.

Lang et al. (2009)
“Physical exercise and individuals with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review”
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Review of: 18 studies using ABA to support physical activity or reduce behavior issues during exercise.
• Findings:
  • Participants' physical engagement improved by 50% or more.
  • Disruptive behaviors decreased by 30–70% with ABA supports in place.
• Implication: ABA contributes to health, regulation, and quality of life—not just academic or language outcomes.

Kurtz et al. (2011)
“Functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior”
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

• Approach: Conducted FBAs to determine the function of self-injurious or aggressive behaviors, followed by tailored behavioral interventions.
• Findings:
  • In 94% of cases, ABA interventions based on FBA successfully reduced problem behaviors.
• Implication: ABA is highly effective at identifying the “why” behind challenging behaviors and applying practical, evidence-based solutions.